


Molecular Gastronomy

by DelusionsbyBonnie



Category: Battle for London in the Air (Roleplay)
Genre: F/M, Fae AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27745978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelusionsbyBonnie/pseuds/DelusionsbyBonnie
Summary: Andrew will follow Cordelia's lead wherever she goes, even if she wants to go to a new, expensive, and terrifying restaurant.
Relationships: Cordelia French/Andrew O'Rourke
Kudos: 5





	Molecular Gastronomy

It was a new restaurant, not the sort that Andrew would ordinarily pay any attention to, but Cordelia insisted. “It’s a different kind of food! Let’s try it out. For Irving’s sake.”

He flipped the slick brochure over to the back, searching for some sign that it was the sort of place where people like him might be welcome. Instead, there was a photo of a dimly-lit and excruciatingly modern dining area above an address and hours in a smooth sans-serif font. It looked expensive. He sighed. “For Irving.”

She beamed up at him like the sun dazzling off water, and it almost made his eyes water. “We have a reservation for 7:30. Wear your blazer.”

She was gone before he could protest the dress code, and he dropped the brochure on a table. At least he had a couple of hours to shower and try to scrub the black lines from under his fingernails. After their last outing, he was skeptical that any food-based adventure was truly for Irving’s sake, but Cordelia must have something in mind. He would have to trust her once again.

\---------

He parked his battered pickup a couple of blocks away, far enough that he was sure none of the valet parking staff could see and judge it. Cordelia was waiting for him just outside, almost glittering in the streetlights. Her dress was flowing and lacy, some color between pink and white that was hard to make out in the yellow light, and a few petals fluttered to the pavement as she brushed back her hair.

“You look nice,” he managed as she slid her arm through his.

She lightly kissed his cheek and smiled. “You clean up pretty well yourself. Irving is already inside.”

The candle in the center of the table cast an orange glint in Irving’s colorless eyes as he gave Andrew a small smile. He was perched at the very end of the bench, looking about as comfortable as Andrew felt. 

Cordelia slid into the booth, tugging Andrew after her. “I already ordered for you. I didn’t think you would mind, and I wanted to try a few different things.”

“Oh, sure.” He was relieved, to be honest. This way he didn’t have to stumble over any unfamiliar words, let alone try to actually read them out loud.

“I did save the menu for you, though.” She smiled mischievously and tore off a strip from the bottom of the paper, popping it into her mouth.

“What the hell, Cordelia!” He spoke too loud, blushing as a few heads turned his way.

“You didn’t tell him?” Irving looked somewhere between disapproving and amused.

“It’s a molecular gastronomy restaurant. Food science,” she clarified. “Try some!”

Andrew tentatively tore a corner off the menu, feeling like someone in a cummerbund would come to toss him out on his ear. But no one did, and the paper dissolved in his mouth. “It doesn’t taste like anything.”

Irving quirked an ironic eyebrow, and Andrew blushed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean--”

Irving waved aside his apology. “It’s fine. Here, our drinks.”

Andrew frowned at the sphere of ice set in front of him. “Is it?”

Cordelia took the spoon from beside his glass and tapped the sphere sharply, splintering it and releasing the liquid inside. “It’s only whiskey. You’re welcome to try my mojito though!” She scooped a few globes of green gel from her glass, waving it in front of him.

“No, that’s fine,” he said weakly, taking a tentative drink. To his relief, it did seem to be perfectly ordinary whiskey. Probably quite nice whiskey, to be honest. Irving was pensively picking one amber bead at a time from his own glass with a long-stemmed, delicate spoon, crushing them between his teeth. He at least seemed to enjoy the novelty of texture, from what Andrew could tell. He turned back to Cordelia.

“So, if I ask you what the hell you ordered me, will you actually tell me?” 

“Mm, I could tell you what you ordered, but it wouldn’t help you.” She smiled impishly, popping another spoonful of mojito orbs into her mouth. “Just relax and enjoy the surprise.”

Andrew scoffed, but obediently drank his whiskey and joined in the conversation. There were new pictures of Marshmallow--the corgi had quite an Instagram following, and one fan had sent the dog a personalized bandanna in a s’more print. It was cute, Andrew had to admit.

The arrival of the entree interrupted Irving’s description of future photo sessions. Andrew mumbled a thank you at the server and squinted at the dish in front of him. It was square and black with a diagonal ridge across the middle, dividing a bunch of little doughy lumps from a helping of… ice cream? Andrew prodded it suspiciously with a wide, shallow spoon. Definitely ice cream. It was a beautiful golden yellow with red flecks through it, but he couldn’t identify the flavor by sight.

“What are you waiting for, dear?” Cordelia couldn’t stifle her grin.

Andrew sighed and took a bite of the ice cream. “Jayzus! It’s _spicy_!” He swallowed quickly and inhaled through his mouth. “Damn it, Cordelia!”

Cordelia couldn’t respond through her laughter, and even Irving was chuckling.

He took another tentative bite. “What-- is this-- did you order me curry-flavored ice cream? What are these dumpling things, then? This is just water, right?” Andrew pointed accusingly at the glass in front of him.

Cordelia wiped away a tear and nodded, fighting back her laughter to reply. “Yes, it’s just water. The dumplings are vegetables,” she gasped. “You like curry, don’t you?”

\----

The rest of the meal passed without incident. The curry ice cream, once he recovered from the shock, was delicious, and somehow Irving seemed less faded than usual. He was still smiling faintly as they bid him good night.

Cordelia kissed Andrew on the cheek. “Thank you for being the butt of the joke tonight, my love.”

Andrew flushed and hoped that she couldn’t tell under the streetlight. “Ah, it really cheered him up, didn’t it?”

“It did.” She wound her arm through his. “What do you say we go to the Horse and Hounds for a nightcap? And then you can drive me home.”

“I’d like that.”


End file.
